Gage and I have lived in the same town and went to school together since childhood. The first time I remember hearing his name was at the youth league ballpark in our hometown where I cheered and he played football. Fast forward to early high school, we had some mutual friends and ended up in math class together where we sat beside each other. He would always text me for the homework or copy mine within the first five minutes of class every day. The Friday before my fifteenth birthday in 2012 we went to a haunted house with a few of our friends after our high school football game. Here we had our first kiss and I think it sealed our fate!! But we couldn’t have imagined how our lives would reconnect from here. Fast forward to September of 2021, now 23 and 24, Gage sent me a snapchat. To this day, he gives me a hard time because I waited a couple of hours to respond, but that was only because it was so unexpected. I replied and we went on our first "real" date for my 24th birthday. We didn't need a chauffeur for this one! From day one we were inseparable and saw each other every day. We both said that even from this early on we knew we were meant to be, but we had no clue how quickly our lives would change and this would solidify. On November 22, 2021 I found out I was pregnant and we started planning for our future together as parents! We found out we were expecting a baby girl and Gage never missed a single appointment or milestone. Throughout my pregnancy, we shared so many special memories and grew so much closer to one another, too!

I was eight months pregnant with our girl and Gage's mom had set up a "maternity" photo shoot for us. Gage and I spent the afternoon getting ready and drove to a creek near our hometown for our shoot that was set for 6:30. The photographer was in on his little secret and helped set up the surprise. She took pictures of us together and then some of us individually. After she took my individual pictures I turned around to Gage down on one knee holding the ring I had always dreamed of! I was so shocked, that I don't think I fully grasped what had happened until later that night. Once we left the proposal and photo shoot, we went to celebrate our engagement at a party that Gage had asked my friends to set up for us. When we got to the engagement party, both of our families and friends were there to celebrate with us, which made it even more special. It was the perfect, most special day and it will always be one of my favorite memories of us. I could not be more grateful for how our relationship played out, and for all of the support that we have had along the way!